Teacher warns: scrapping exam threshold will weaken student motivation

Mathematics teacher Vorobjovs has spoken out against the idea of abolishing the minimum pass threshold for centralised exams. In his view, the plan runs counter to international research on student motivation: pupils with lower attainment are often driven by external motivation, and the need to reach a certain exam level helps mobilise them. If an exam is considered passed from zero percent, many of these students will do the bare minimum, especially in mathematics, where Latvia already has many such learners.

The teacher expects the impact to be felt beyond the weakest pupils. Many average students start studying harder in Year 9 because exams are approaching; if those exams are believed to have no consequences, the amount of independent work and homework may shrink. Some high achievers, who used to aim for 100% or above 95%, may also lose that incentive.

Vorobjovs warns that the real picture will emerge in summer, when pupils apply to secondary schools. He cites this year’s admission data in Riga: after the best schools filled up, 192 free places remained, but they were at schools near the bottom of the rankings. Out of 148 secondary schools, those with vacancies ranked between 97th and 134th, with an average exam result of 32%.

The demographic argument does not hold in Riga, the teacher argues. Some 5,332 pupils applied for Grade 10 places, but the city has only 4,500 places, because students from nearby and even distant municipalities compete for them. Vocational schools also had competitive admission this year; some programmes were even more popular than prestigious gymnasiums.

Vorobjovs also sees a contradiction with inclusive education. Lowering standards may result in pupils with learning difficulties receiving a basic education certificate without the necessary knowledge and then ending up in the same classroom, fuelling a downward spiral. He notes that the curriculum requires vectors to be taught in September of Grade 10, yet a pupil who cannot perform basic calculations or draw a straight line in the coordinate plane will not be able to follow that material.

In his view, the answer is not to reduce requirements but to provide better teaching, extra support and timely help. Otherwise, the problems will simply be moved to the next stage of education and new difficulties will be created for other students.